Figure 3
One of the principal differences between the ‘etiologic field effect’ and conventional field effect concepts is their temporal associations. The conventional field effect typically spans a relatively narrow part of neoplastic evolution spectrum, from the acquisition of somatic aberrations to histologically dysplastic pre-malignancy. The ‘etiologic field effect’, by comparison, is relevant at all stages from neoplasia initiation to patient death. The presence of ‘etiologic field effect’ precedes the acquisition of pathologic somatic changes, and extends to be influential in tumor evolution, invasion, and metastatic growth.
